Machine for turning tubular fabrics.



H. A. SHIELDS. MACHINE FOR TURNING TUBULAR FABRICS.

APPLIoATIoN P11111) 11110.15, 1911 Ls, y Patented June 25, 1912.

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H. A. SHI-ELUS.

. MACHINE FOR TURNING TUBULAR FABRICS. APPLIGATION FILED DEo.15, 1911,

I 1,930,836?, Patented June 25, 1912.

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MACHINE FOR TRNING T'UBULAR FABRCS.

Application filed ecemher 15. 1911.

Specification' of etters Tatent.

Patented June 25, i912.

serial no. 665,908.

ATo el?, whom it may consom:

fand do hereby declaro the ollowingto be e full, clear5 and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledl in the art to which it appertains to ineke and use the seine.

My invention relates to in'iprovements in machines or turning a tubuler aloric inside entend its object is to provide e.. device which will accomplish. this operation in the simplest Way end which will handle the material with the least possible Wear and stretching elicot and. to provide the device with Various new and useful features as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

lt is the custom in the manufacture of knit febric to lrnit this fabric in the form of e tubular piece of considerable length.

-litter it has been knit in this shape it is flattened out and rolled up for Iconvenience 1n handling. This lout fabric is gener-.illy Washed. and sometimes nepped and during this process the fabricmust be turned with the original inner side outward tor various reasons i'ell known to the manufacturer.

The object oniy newly invented device is to turn this tubular lpiece of fabric so that itmey be Washed and nepped ond after it has undergone this process it is again run through the machine to return it to its originel condition.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of e device enr bodying my invention; Fig. 2 is e horizontal section teken in the ple-ne ot the axis lof the tube; Fig. 3 is an enlarged seotionel'elevation el? the feeding and turning portion of this device; Fig. il is en end View ci the tubo showing the turning rolls with portions brolren away; Fig. 5 is a. horinontal section on the line .f5-M5. ot Fig. 3; Fig; G is a trzflnsverse verticel section throughtliie exis ot tle moving them to and from eachother to grip the fabric.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures. 4

1 is a tube of considerable length preferably horizontally disposed and supported et one end only in a treme 2 which surrounds and is clamped firmly about it. The unsupported end of this tube is provided With a sleeve .member 3 in which 'are mount-- ed two cylindrical feed rollers 4l projecting through openings in opposite sides of the coupling. These feed rollers are journaled on vertical `shafts 5, slidably mounted in supports having slots 6 and 7 extending transversely oit the tube. This slidablo mounting of the shaft 5 allows the rollers 4l movementtoWerd and from each other. rlhe feed rollers il are driven by friction transmitted through the fabric between them end the4 driving rollers 8 which latter are mounted on vertically disposed shafts 9 journeled in'beurings 10 in 'trames l1,

pivotally supported at their respective lower ends on a base plete l2 allowing the driving rollers 8 on the upper ends ot' the shafts these shafts are rotated by any convenient' driving belt, (not shown). The swinging movement of the rollers v8 is controlled by means of a shatit. 14 which is provided at its respective ends with right and left hand threads which engegenuts l5, one ot which is pivotally attached to cach ofthe iframes l1.

A guide liange 1G is centrally mounted upon the shaft 14 and turns in a slotted projection i7 Aatt-sched to the base plate 12. This guide flange 16 prevents nny longitudinal play of 'the shaft, thus keeping the train of rollers properly positioned et all tinies. A hand Wheel 18 mounted on the shaft by ineens of which the shaft muy be rot-ated to swing the rollers 8 to or from each other. rl`he extreme unsupported end of the tube l terminates'in a tubular member 19 end is provided at its outer end with tur-rung rollers 2O preferably four in munber arranged as shown and journaled on l tits 2l which are mounted in brackets 2Q ed to the endof the tub .inember 'turning rollers ser fc to guide ioo . .seen that the fabric is now turned as dethe fabric as it passes over them and is turned inside out. rlhe sleeve 3 is provided with funnel shaped inlet passage 2B which tends to guide the tubular fabric centrally between the feed rollers The lower edge of thisfunnel shaped passage is raised from the bottoni of the tube to guide the fabric upward and hold it Well toward the center of the rolls so that it will not slip down and become entangled in the edges of the saine.

. A guide roller 24 is located at theinlet or supported end of the tube l to guide the fabric as it enters the tube,

The operation of the machine as follows: The tubular knit fabric as before stated is-y folded 'flat and rolled at the ,knitting machine. This roll of flattened fabric is mounted in any convenient Way near the inlet end of the tube l so that it niay be unrolled and drawn through the tube. The l liattened fabric passes over the guide roller 24 is'drawn through the tube ll gradually assuming a rope shape and is guided be tween the feed rollers -fl by the funnel shaped inlet 23. lifter the fabric has passed between the feeding rollers it is drawn through to the end of the tubular member i9 and turned bach outside of this member over the turning rollers 20. it is Atheir brought back until it is gripped between the driving rollers 8 and the feed rollers et outside of the tube. After thefabric has thus been started' in the machine power is then `applied to rotate the driving rollers l8 which vwill in turn drive the rollers 4l which latter rollers will draw the fabric through the tube l and feed it toward the end of the tube so that it will pass loosely over the turning rollers 20 and turn back outside the tube to the driving rollers 8 and `the feedl rollers 4 `which slide bach over the'tube l. The machine is run until'the entire piece ot' knitted fabric is thus drawn through the tube, turned inside out over the end of the same and deposited around the out-side of the tube by tl e driving rollers. It will be sired and after this operationl is completed the feeding rollers 8 are swung apart and the fabric may now be drawn od the end of the tube and folded or otherwise disposed of.

One of the important features of this device is that the fabric is fed loosely over the turning rollers 20 so that it is not strained or distorted in this operation and there is also no strain on the fabric as it is drawn from the tube after it has been turned.

In order to enable this device to successfully operate von fabric of a greater Width the tubular termination 19 which carries the turning rollers 20 may be removed and a similar one having a diverging opening applied in thev place of the onel shown. This diverging or enlarged opening is practically identical with the one shown except that the turning rollers are spaced` farther apartand the circumference at its mouth is greater so that the fabric of greater ividti will turn backward over the rollers Without "ling lllhat l clfiiin is l. A machine for turning tubular fabrics comprising a tubular structure, means for turning the fabric over the end of said struct-ure, feed rollers Within the structure adapted to move the fabric longitudinally within said structure and means for rctating said rollers.

2. A machine for turning tubular fabrics coniprisinga tubular structure, ineens for moving the fabric in one direction upon i the outside of the structure, and means within the structure for moving the fabric ,in the opposite direction in the interior of said structure.

3. A machine for turning tubular fabrics comprising a. tubular structure supportedat one end, a pair of rollers Within the same to engage the fabric therebetween and move the saine toward the unsupported end of the structure, and a pair of rollers on the oiitside of. the structure to engage the fabric and move the saine away irom said end.

e l. il machine for 'turning tubular fabrics, comprising means over which the fabric is reversed, a pair of feed rollers adapted to engage the outside ofthe fabric and inove the saine toward the said ineens, ineens for pressing the fabric against the outer sides of said feed rollers after it has been turned to move the saine away from the ineens over which the fabric has been turned, means for siuoporting` all of said rollers in operative position and ineens for rotating said feed rollers. l

5. machine for turning tubular fabrics, comprising a series of four rollers arranged substantially in a row side by side and in close relation, the two inner rollers engaging one side of the fabric and moving the same in one direction' and also engaging the Same side of the fabric after it has been reversed to move the saine in the opposite direction, means for pressing the outer roller toward the outer sides of the inner rollers, means for supporting tlierolleis in place over the ond of which means the fabric is turned and' means for rotating the rollers.

G. Annichine for turning tubular fabrics, comprising a tubular struct-ure having opposing side openings, inner rollers adapted to engage the fabric therebetween and move the same in one direction and outer rollers y adapted to again engage the fabric .With the inner rollers, and feed the fabric in the opposite direction.

7. il machine comprising a tubular structure having a project-ing open en d and opposing side for turning tubular fabrics,"

openings, inner rollers wit-hin the tube to engage the fabric therebetween and feed the same toward said end of the structure, outer rollers engaging the fabric with the outer sides of the inner rollers to move the fabric away from said end and means for rotating said rollers.

8. Ainacliine for turning tubular fabrics, comprising a tubular structure having an open projecting end and side openings, a series of four rollers arranged in a line transversely lof said structure and extending through said opening, said rollers being normally in' close relation and separable, the inner rollers adapted to opposite'ly engage the fabric and move the same toward the said open end, over which end the fabric is turned, the outer rollers being adapted to engage the fabric with the outer sides oft-he inner rollers to move the fabric in the opposite direction. and means for rotating the outer rollers. j

9. A machine for turning tubular fabrics, comprising a tubular structure having a projecting open end and opposing side openings, rollerssupported on said end and arranged in circular relation, feed rollers in said structure opposite said openings and movable toward and away from each other and also adapted to engage the fabric therebetween and feed the same toward said open end, outer rollers oppositely pressing the fabric against the outer sides of the respective inner rollers to' more the same away from sa-id end, means for n'ioving ther outer rollers toward and away from the inner rollers and means for rot-ating the outer rollers.

10. A machine for turning tubular fabrics, comprislng a tubular structure slipported at one end only and having openiiigs in its opposite sides, inner rollers in said structure opposite said openings anl movable toward and away from each other to engage the fabric tlua'ebetween, a tapered tube or funnel in said structure near the said rollers, driving rollers engaging the inner rollers, means for moring said driving i rollers toward and away from the inner rollers and means for rotating the driving rollers.'

I11. A. machine for turning tubular fabrics, comprising a tube having a projecting open en a coupling, in the tube having openings in *he opposite sides inner rollers mounted within said coupling adapted to engage the fabric therebetween, a detachable extension of the tube carried by said coupling, turning rollers on t-he end of the eX- tension, driving rollers adjustable toward and from the feed rollers and means for rotating the driving rollers.

12. A machine for turning tubular fabvries,` comprising a tubular structure having a projected open end and provided with openings in its opposite sides, inner rollers opposite said openings adapted to engage the fabric therebetween, turning rollers mounted on the projecting end of the structure, outer rollers opposite the inner rollers, pivoted frames carrying` the outer'rollers, a right and left hand screw engaging nuts pivoted in the respective frames, a tiange on the screw, a slotted projection engaging the fiange' and means for rotating the outer rollers.

13. A machine for turning tubular fabrics,' comprising a tubular structure supported at one end only and provided with openings in its opposite sides, feed rollers in said structure opposite the oj'ienings, a cone or funnel in the structure near the feed roll ers, turning rollers mounted on the unsupported end of the structure, driving rollers opposite the feed rollers, movable frames supporting the driving rollers, mans for adjusting the frames toward and away from each other and means for rotating the rollers.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. SIHELDS. Wit Messes:

IIMzom O. VAN Ax'rwnnr, lamlmc AL JoNns. 

